A review by amanda_reads13
Powerless by Elsie Silver

emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Sloan's visits to her cousins ranch every summer are a welcome respite from the high demands of her father. For one month, she is carefree. When she is 10, there is a new face when she arrives to the ranch. After experiencing a life altering tragedy, Jasper was completely abandoned by his family. He is taken into the care of the Eaton family and treated as one of their own. Over the years, Sloan and Jasper's friendship grows. 

Years later, Sloan, now a prima ballerina, is set to marry an asshole her father has chosen for her. Her dad is using her as a pawn to advance his business and treats her like his property. Jasper, now a professional goalie, has to sit back and watch his best friend make, what he believes to be, the biggest mistake of her life. He has spent years trying to get Sloan to see the truth about her father, but she refuses to see it.

On the day of her wedding, Sloan receives a video showing her fiance cheating on her. Jasper comes to her rescue and takes her to Chestnut Springs. They arrive only to be dealt another blow, Beau is MIA.


I adore Sloan and Jaspers relationship. Sloan has had feelings for Jasper since the day they met, but Jasper always brushed it off as a childhood crush. As children, they became incredibly close. Jasper had experienced so much trauma in his short life and was so quiet and closed off.  He felt like he could talk about anything with Sloan and knew that she would never judge him. Jasper is highly anxious and Sloan is his safety net. She is always there to support him. As their relationship grows, he becomes more comfortable with himself and opens up more. 

I feel like the conflict in the book is understandable.
Jasper has never felt that he was good enough for Sloan, he has had feelings for her for years but after the threat from her father, he felt he had to stay away. Yes her could have told her, but at that point she didn't see the truth about her father and she probably would have taken her father's side over Jasper's. He felt like he had something to prove and that he couldn't act upon his feelings until he had made something of himself.  Then once Jasper decides to act on his feelings, Sloan has a hard time trusting that his feelings are true. She has loved him for years, so why is he reaiprocating them now after so long?

I feel like the Beau story line was unnecessary and was really pushed aside for most of the book.

  
I LOVE that the other family members were so present in this book!  I love seeing how their relationships have grown and how close the family is.

Tropes: friends to lovers, small town 
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